Apparatus for applying carriers to bottles and the like



Feb. 7, 1967 Filed Nov. 20, 1965 FIG. 2

B. RICE 3,302,364

BOTTLES AND THE LIKE .7 Sheets-Sheet 1 HNVENTOR. HAROLD B. RICE ATTORNEYi 26 X E 1 5 61m I 23 I K 22 r x 22 6 25 24' C I I I I 3 Feb. 7, 1967 H.B. RICE 3,302,364

' APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CARRIERS TO BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 20,1963 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTOR. HA R0 B. R I CE BY/QMOQ.

AT TORNE Y H. B. RICE Feb. 7, 1967 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CARRIERS TOBOTTLES AND THE LIKE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 20, 1963 INVENTOR.HAROLD 8. RICE ATTORNEY Feb. 7, 1967 H. B. RICE 3,302,364

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CARRIERS TO BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 20,1963 7 Sheets-$heet 4 FIG. 9

XNVENTOR. HAROLD 8. RICE 3' BY $W w ATTORNEY H. B. RICE Feb. 7, 1 967APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CARRIERS TO BOTTLES AND THE LIIKE Filed Nov. 20,1963 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 a M R! m M N W8 0 L O R A E H g v Q m m2 m: s fimm. mv hum mmi A- .I. m2 on m B 1 mm E 2 S ms mm I-I- I-I-l ATTORNEYFeb. 7, 1967 5, RICE 3,302,364

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CARRIERS TO BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 20,1965 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 LFOITIJ I IIs l W- O it E i? I? i 5 I y l I y fI/JINVENTOR. J HAROLD B. RICE \J BY 9 4, CUM

ATTORNEY 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 H. B. RICE APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CARRIERS TOBOTTLES AND THE LIKE Feb. 7, 1967 Filed Nov. 20, 1963 HAROLD 8. RICEATTORNEY United States Patent 3,302,364 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CARRIERST0 BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Harold B. Rice, Walnut Creek, Califi, assignorto John Burton Machine Corporation, Concord, Calif. Filed Nov. 20, 1963,Ser. No. 325,085 11 Claims. (Cl. 53-3) This invention relates tocarriers for a plurality of containers and is particularly adapted foruse on the six pack type of carrier for carrying six bottles. However,some features of the invention are applicable to other types ofcontainers.

The present invention is particularly directed to an apparatus forapplying carriers of the type shown in US. patent application Serial No.170,757, now Patent No. 3,156,358, in the name of Randrup and assignedto the assignee of the present invention. Said patent applicationdiscloses a carrier which is formed from a rectangular blank ofsemi-rigid sheet material such as paper board and supports the bottlestherefrom by engaging the undersides of the sealing caps.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a methodand apparatus for applying the above mentioned type of carriers tobottles and the like in a speedy and eificient manner.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a method forspeeding up the process of bottling beverages and the like so as toeffect substantial savings over methods presently employed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a method andapparatus to perform the steps of filling, sealing and applying carriersto bottles so as to minimize the possibility of damage to the bottlesduring the bottling process.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a method andapparatus for applying carriers to bottles-without removing the bottlesfrom the case in which they are to be shipped.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification and from the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a case orcarton containing 24 bottles andshowing the carriers applied thereto.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective showing the various steps performed inthe method and apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a sheet composed of four integrally connectedcarriers.

FIGS. 4 to 8 are diagrammatic views showing the various steps inapplying the carrier to the bottles.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the front side of the apparatus forapplying the carriers to the bottles. The sheet feeding mechanism isomitted for clarity.

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross section at the delivery end of the apparatusof FIG. 9 taken in the plane indicated by lines 10--10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the apparatus ofFIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a vertical cross section of the apparatus as taken in a planeindicated by lines 12-12 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 13 is a side elevation of the apparatus taken from the oppositeside from that shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 14 is a greatly enlarged sectional view showing the manner in whichthe apparatus performs the step of folding the marginal portion of thecarrier over the tops of the caps.

In detail, the first with reference to FIG. 2, the operation of thepresent invention may be summarized broadly as follows: Bottles areintroduced into the conveyor system of the bottling plant Within arelatively heavy 3,302,364 Patented Feb. 7, 1967 paperboard casegenerally designated 1 which usually contains 24 bottles. By the presentinvention it is contemplated that said bottles are provided the bottlingplant in a sanitary condition with either a layer of paper covering theopen mouths of the bottles or with the caps of the bottles applied in apartially crimped condition so as to be readily removed during thefilling operation. It is a relatively simple matter for the glassmakerto supply the sterilized bottles with caps thereon and also labels ifnecessary so that there is no necessity for the bottler to remove thebottles from the case. This is an important object of the presentinvention and the use of this method and the apparatus for achievingthis result effects tremendous economies not possible by present methodsand apparatus.

By passing the case 1 under a filling device generally designated 2 allof the bottles may be filled at one time. Thereafter, the caps may becrimped in the usual manner by well known apparatus (not shown).

The next step in the operation is to apply a sheet of paperboard as isshown in FIG. 3 over the open case and subsequently attached to sixbottles. In FIG. 2 the sheets are indicated at 3 and by means of aconventional sheet feeding mechanism 4 they are applied one at a timeover the open end of the case for application to the bottles in a mannerthat will be described later on in greater detail. At this point it willbe noted that since the carriers shown in FIG. 3 merely grip the caps ofthe bottles it is unnecessary to remove the bottles from the case, andit is even unnecessary to shift the bottles relative to the case inorder to apply the carriers.

Referring now to FIG. 3 it is seen that sheet 3 is cut to provide fourcarriers designated 4, 5, 6 and 7 which are substantially separated fromeach other but integrally connected together at two or three points sothat the carriers may be separated from sheet 3 with very little effort.

The four carriers are all identical and only one (carrier 4) will bedescribed in detail. Each is provided with a pair of end edges 12 and a.pair of side edges 13. As will subsequently be seen, each carriersupports six bottles in two rows of three each and the end edges 12 areadjacent the pair of bottles at each end of the two rows while the sideedges 13 extend longitudinally of the package. Equally spaced from thelongitudinal centerline of the carrier blank are folding creases 15 thatare parallel with said side edges 13. These folding creases definelimits of the central body of the blank that is horizontal and is toremain horizontal in a position extending over the main bodies of thebottle .after the package is formed. Adjacent each of the foldingcreases 15 are three neck receiving openings 16. These openings 16 maybe conveniently circular but also may take a generally elliptical formas disclosed in the above noted application Serial No. 170,757, nowPatent No. 3,156,358.

The marginal portions of each of the openings 16 are formed with aplurality of cuts or slits 20 that extend radially outwardly from theopenings to permit said openings to expand as the blank is forced overthe caps, of the bottles.

Oppositely outwardly of the pair of folding creases 15 are relativelywide marginal portions or extensions of the blank generally designated21 each of which is formed with a pair of spaced folding creases 22, 23that are parallel with creases 15. The marginal portions 21 are eachformed with substantially semicircular similar cuts 24 that are alignedwith the openings 16 in a direction across the blank along linesperpendicular to the above described folding creases. These cuts 24 areformed in the terminating outer marginal portions 25, thatlie betweenthe a folding creases 23 and the side edges 13, and the ends of the cuts24 in each portion 25 terminate on the crease 23. It will subsequentlybe seen that the outer marginal portions 25 may be considered margins ofthe relatively wider marginal portions 21. It will also be seen later onthat said margins 25 are crimped under the bottle caps. Since it isdesirable that the portions of said margins 25 that crimp under thebottle caps do so in a positive manner semicircular recesses 26 areprovided along the side edges 13 so as to relieve said margins andprevent interference of the intermediate portions of the margins withthe central body portion of the blank thereby ensuring that the materialoutwardly of the semicircular cuts 24 readily engages under the bottlecaps.

The central portion of the carrier blank is provided with a pair of tabs27 which are subsequently bent down to leave openings into which thefingers of a hand of a person may be inserted in order to carry thepackage.

The specific description of the apparatus, to be subsequently related,will be better understood if the schematic views shown in FIGS. 4through 8 are first c0nsidered. When the sheet 3 is positioned over thecase containing 24 bottles, it is disposed fiat but is then bent in amanner shown generally in FIG. 4. Arranged partially Within the case ofbottles are two pairs of similar guides 30 and 31. It will be noted inFIG. 4 that the right hand guide 31 of the left hand pair cooperateswith the left hand guide 30 of the right hand pair to provide anupwardly directed edge 32 which is adapted to engage the juncturebetween the two halves of the sheet 3 with the blanks 4, 5 on the rightside and the blanks 6, 7 on the left side (see FIG. 3). At this point itwill be apparent that when the opposite sides of the sheet 3 are urgeddownwardly over the sharp edge 32, the very slight integral connectionsbetwen the two halves of the sheet will be broken so that the carrierblanks 4, 5 will be above one group of twelve bottles and the carrierblanks 6, 7 will be above the other group of twelve bottles. It will berecalled, in this connection, that case 1 contains four rows of sixbottles each.

Supported for vertical movement above each group of twelve bottles is avertically movable head generally designated 35 the function of which isto urge each pair of carriers downwardly past the caps of the associatedbottles so that the slitted marginal portions around each opening 16(FIG. 3) spring past the caps and then engage against the undersides ofthe caps as best seen in FIG. 6. The operations shown in FIGS. 4 through6 are performed at station A indicated in FIG. 9. The manipulations ofthe blanks to be performed and shown in FIGS. 7, 8 are carried out atstation B in FIG. 9.

Referring now to FIG. 7 it will be seen that the pressure plates 121,122 are moved toward each other from their original positions therebyfolding over the marginal portions 25 of the carrier blanks to agenerally horizontal position. Thereafter (FIG. 8), the head 120 movesdownwardly to urge margins 25 (FIG. 3) past the caps 37 of the bottlesand so that the semicircular cuts 24 engage under the caps as seen inFIG. 8 and as seen in the copending application Serial No. 170,757, nowPatent No. 3,156,358.

Referring now to the actual apparatus employed (FIG. 9), alongitudinally extending central frame member 40 extends the length ofthe machine and serves to support a conveyor chain 41 that is spacedupwardly from said frame member 40 by a pair of angle bars 42 (FIG. 12).Openings are provided in the underside of the main frame member 40 forreceiving therethrough the return run of the conveyor which may rest onthe upper surface of the lower side of the frame member 40 as seen inFIG. 12. At the discharge end of the conveyor a driving sprocket 44 isprovided rotatably mounted on main frame member 40 and at the oppositeend an idler sprocket 45 is also rotatably mounted on main frame 40.

The apparatus'that is supported upwardly from the conveyor chain 41 forthe purpose of inserting the carriers is supported on four frame supportmembers indicated at 47. These support members extend transverselyacross the conveyor at points spaced upwardly therefrom and then extenddownwardly and inwardly and secured to the main frame member 40. As bestseen in FIG. 11, a pair of longitudinally extending angle bars 49, 50are fixedly secured to the upper transversely extending portions of thesupports 47 and said angle bars serve to support, on their verticallydisposed flanges, a pair of air cylinders 51, 52 at the intake end ofstation A and a similar pair of air cylinders 53, 54 at the dischargeend of station A.

Air cylinders 51, 52 are provided with operating rods 55, 56,respectively, and air cylinders 53, 54 are similarly provided withoperating rods 57, 58, respectively. The operating rods 55, 56 aresupported for translatory movement within bearings 60, 61 secured to thesupport 47. In a similar manner the operating rods 57, 58 of cylinders53, 54 are slidably secured within bearings 62, 63.

Extending longitudinally of the machine between connecting rods 55, 57are a pair of elongated vertically disposed fiat guide plates 31 thatare secured to connecting rods 55, 57 by means of blocks 65. Plates 31have been referred to above in connection with FIGS. 4 through 8. Thevertically disposed guide plates 30 of FIG. 4 are connected, as seen inFIG. 11, to the operating rods 56, 58 of air cylinders 52, 54 in amanner similar to the connection of guide plates 31 to rods 55, 57. Itwill be understood that the longer guide plates 30 are suitablyapertured to receive operating rods 55, 57 therethrough so that there isno interference between the two sets of operating rods and guide plates.

When a sheet 3 is fed from the feeding device 4 to the station A, itsforward movement is stopped by shoulder 70 (FIG. 13) provided on guideplates 30 and which shoulders 70 define the forward end of a recessformed on the upper edge of guide plates 30 and which recess terminatesat its opposite end in a similar shoulder 71. The recess defined betweenshoulders 70, 71 of guide plates 30 is duplicated in the other guideplates 31 so that the sheet 3 has a well defined position above the caseof bottles therebelow.

Secured along the lower edges of the guide plates 30, 31 are strips 72(FIGS. 11, 12) which are preferably formed of a plastic material thatpermits hinging of each strip about its point of securement and at thesame time retaining sufficient rigidity to engage the necks of theadjacent bottles and hold them in a predetermined position. As best seenin FIG. 12, the strips 72 are secured as by machine screws 73 along thebottom edges of the guide plates 30, 31 and are directed oppositelyinwardly of each group of twelve bottles that is composed of two rows ofsix each.

Referring now to FIG. 11 each strip 72 is provided with a plurality ofbottle-neck receiving recesses 74 which are longitudinally spaced apartin registration with the necks of the bottles in the case 1.

From FIGS. 11 and 12 it will be apparent that upon movement of each setof guide plates 30, 31 toward each other from the position of FIG. 4,the neck engaging strip 72 will engage the necks of the bottlesimmediately below the caps and fixedly position them relative to theframe so that the carriers may be inserted on the bottles with exactregistration between carriers and bottles.

Since the plates 30, 31 and their associated air cylin ders move onlyhorizontally it is necessary to raise the case before the abovedescribed steps may be performed. This step of raising the case iscarried out by providing a platform generally designated 78 (FIGS. 9,12). Said platform 78 comprises a pair of plates 79, 80 positioned onopposite sides of the chain conveyor 41 and fixedly secured to fourdownwardly extending angle supports 81 secured at their lower ends torectangu lar plates 82, 83 which in turn are slidably received onopposite sides of a vertically extending .post 85 fixedly secured at itsupper end to the main frame 40 and at its lower end to a longitudinallyextending base member 86 and a transverse base member 87.

Vertical movement of the case platform 78 is effected by means of an aircylinder 90 (FIG. 13) which extends between the transverse base member87 and a lug 91 carried by the plate 83. As best seen in FIG. 13, whenair pressure is applied to the bottomv of cylinder 90', the plates 82,83 and the vertical supports 81 together with the upper case supportingplatform 78 are moved upwardly so that the guide bars 30, 31 arepartially received within the case 1 as clearly shown in FIG. 12. Toreduce the friction between the plates 82, 83 and the vertical post 85,rollers 52 may be secured to said plates 82, 83 by means of brackets 93.The method of energizing the air cylinder 90 will subsequently bedescribed, but at this point it will be noted that the conveyor chain 41may be driven continuously and that by, raising the case to the positionshown at station A in FIG. 9 the first operations of applying thecarrier may thus be carried out with the case stationarily supported.

The case shown at station A in FIGS. 9, 13 is positioned in its correctposition longitudinally of the conveyor by the preceding case and, asseen in FIG. 13, said preceding case is in turn positioned by a stopmember 95 secured to the case platform of station B in a manner thatwill subsequently be described. With respect to the sheet 3 that is fedonto the mechanism of station A, said sheet is fed in a forwardly anddownwardly direction in a customary manner and, as pointed out above,its position is exactly determined in a direction longitudinally of theconveyor by shoulders 70 on guide plates 30, 31. The exact positioningof the sheet 3 transversely of the mechanism is obtained by means of twoangle shaped guides 96, 97 secured to angle bars 49, 50 (FIG. 12).

After the sheet 3 has been positioned over the case prior to taking theposition shown in the schematic view in FIG. 4, the air cylinder 90 isactuated to urge the case platform 78 upwardly to the position of FIGS.9, 12 so that the heads 35 may then be urged downwardly to force theindividual carriers of the sheets over the caps of the bottles aspreviously described in connection with FIGS. 4 through 6. The manner inwhich heads 35 are actuated will now be described. Extending upwardlyfrom the base of the machine at the rear side thereof is a relativelylong post 1110 that extends well above the top of the machine and whichis provided with a carriage generally designated 1111 and which isreciprocally mounted for vertical movement along post 101) by means ofrollers 182 (FIG. 9). Extending inwardly from the carriage 101 towardthe center of the machine are relatively heavy bars 104 (FIGS. 2, 12) towhich are secured longitudinally extending bars 105. Adjacent theopposite ends of bars 105 the same are apertured to slidably receivetherethrough elongated bolts 187 which are threadedly secured at theirlower ends within the heads 35 (FIG. 12). Interposed be tween the heads35 and the bars 105 are relatively strong compression springs 108 whichserve to maintain the heads 35 and the bars 105 in a predeterminedspaced apart relationship and which springs deflect only when an unusualamount of load is impressed thereon so as to avoidbreakage of thebottles in the event that the heads 35 and the bottles are not in properregistration. The manner of driving the heads 35 will now be described.

Extending transversely through the main frame member 41) is a shaft 116(FIGS. 9, 12, 13) which is rotatably supported in bearings 111 securedto the inner sidewalls of main frame member 40. As best seen in FIG. 13,the end of the shaft 110 that is at the rear side of the machine isprovided with a crank arm 112 which in turn is connected to a connectingrod [113 pivotally connected at its upper end to the underside ofcarriage 101. It will be apparent that upon rotation of shaft 110 at auniform rate of speed the carriage 101 and therefore the heads 35 willreciprocate vertically in uniformly timed cycles. The manner in whichthe proper timing of such reciprocation of heads 35 is effected willsubsequently be described. At this point it will be noted that as eachcase is fed onto conveyor 41 (FIG. 9) the platform 78 is in a downposition with the upper surfaces of plates 79, 80 substantially coplanarwith the upper surface of the conveyor chain 41 so that the case mayproceed to the position of station A before the upward movement ofplatform 78 in response to actuation of air cylinder (FIG. 13). Thedownward movement of heads 35 is then initiated as above described toapply the carriers onto the bottles.

As best seen in FIG. 11, each head 35 is provided with oppositelyoutwardly opening recesses 113 which are positioned so as to registerwith the bottle caps in order to press the carrier blanks past the capsin the manner shown in FIG. 12.

After a complete cycle has been performed at station A and the heads 35have been elevated and the case support 78 lowered, the case proceedsautomatically to station B at which station the final steps of applyingcarriers are carried out. The case is stopped at station E by itsengagement with the forward end of an elongated arm 116 (FIG. 13). Arm116 is pivotally connected to frame 40 by pivot 117 and an integralextension 118 of said arm extends upwardly and rearwardly of theconveyor from pivot 117. This structure is such that when a casedepresses the upper end of extension 118 the succeeding case is stoppedby arm 116. However, when a case moves away from extension 118, theweight of arm 116 causes it to swing downwardly around pivot 117 andpermits the case at station B to proceed on the conveyor 41.

The apparatus at station B is similar to that at station A in that thereare provided vertically reciprocating heads 120 (FIGS. 7, 8, 11) forengaging the bottle carrier blanks. However, in this case the heads 120are only about half as wide as the heads 35 since their only purpose isto crimp the margins 25 of the blanks under the bottle caps.

As best seen in FIG. 11, there are provided two pairs of pressure plates121, 122 that are similar to guide plates 39, 31 (station A) in thatthey are moved by means of air cylinders 124 so as to fold over themarginal portions of the blank as best seen in FIGS. 7, 14. When aircylinders 124 are actuated to move the pressure plates 121, 122, thelower edges of said plates break the carrier blank along the creaselines blank so that said marginal portions assume a substantiallyhorizontal position as shown in FIGS. 7, 14. In order to ensure theproper inward movement of the marginal portions 21 of the blanks andthereby make certain that the heads 120 crimp the margins 25 of theblanks under the bottle caps, a relatively rigid yet resilient strip ofphenolic plastic or the like indicated at 126 is fixedly secured to theouter sides of each of the pressure plates and, as best seen in FIG. 14,said strips extend downwardly below the lower edges of pressure plates121 and 122 so as to engage the carrier blanks and urge the uppermarginal portions 21 inwardly toward each other as the associatedpressure plate folds the blank at a right angle to the short verticallyextending portion 127 (FIG. 14) between folding creases 15 and 22 (FIG.3).

It will be understood that when the case approaches station B thecarrier blanks are already on the bottles but it is still important tocenter the case relative to the chain conveyor so as to ensure that theheads 120 register with the carrier blanks and the bottles to which theyare connected. To this end there is provided a centering device bestseen in FIG. 10. Along one side of the path of travel of the case 1there is provided a fixed guide 130 and a movable guide 131. Thismovable guide 131 is secured to the upper end of a vertically disposedlever arm 132 which is pivotally supported at its lower end by pivot pin133 secured to lug 134 carried by the station B case support generallydesignated 135. This case support 135 is substantially identical to thecase supporting platform 78 hereinbefore described in connection withstation A.

The upper end of the vertically extending lever arm 132 is provided witha camming surface 136 and, when the case platform is in its upperposition as shown in FIG. 10, the arm 132 is engaged by the plunger 137of an air cylinder 138 to urge the guide 131 against the case therebysqueezing the case against the fixed guide 130. This step is done beforethe heads 120 move downwardly into engagement with the marginal portionsof the carrier blanks so that exact registration of said heads and thebottles to which the blanks are secured is achieved.

The heads 124 (station B) are secured to a carriage 142 (FIG. 13) whichis reciprocally mounted on vertically extending post 143 insubstantially the same way as the carriage 101 of station A is mountedon post 100. In a similar manner the carriage 142 is driven byconnecting rod 144 which in turn is operably connected through crank 145to rotating shaft 146 extending through frame in like manner as shaft110.

The two shafts 110 and 146 are provided with sprocket wheels 1511), 151,respectively, connected by chain 152 so that both shafts rotate at thesame speed (FIG. 13). Shaft 146 is provided with another sprocket wheel153 which is driven by a chain 154- from a sprocket wheel 155 fixed toshaft 156 that also supports the driving sprocket 44 of the conveyorchain (FIG. 13). As best seen in FIG. 9, the driving shaft 156 of theconveyor chain is driven by a sprocket 157 connected by chain 158 to theoutput shaft of a variable speed drive 159.

It will be apparent from the above described power connections that theshafts 110 and 146 which actuate stations A and B respectively aredriven at the same speed and are synchronized with the speed of theconveyor chain.

The actuation of the various air cylinders above mentioned is alongconventional lines and includes an air supply (not shown), a valve 162(FIGS. 9, 12) for controlling station A and a valve 163 (FIG. 9) forcontrolling station B. Mounted on shaft 110 of station A are a pair ofradial cams 164 which coact with the operating shafts of valve 162 toactuate air cylinders 51, 52, 53 and 54 once for each rotation of saidshaft 110. Also controlled by said cams and the valve 162 is the aircylinder 90 (FIG. 13) which raises and lowers the case supportingplatform 78 at station A. In a similar manner a radial cam 165 securedto shaft 146 at station B serves to actuate air cylinders 124 and 138(FIG. 9).

Since the vertical movement required of the case support platform 135 atstation B (FIG. 10) is not very great, a radial cam 16% is secured toshaft 146 and cooperates with a roller 169 on the case platform 135 toraise and lower said platform once during each rotation of shaft 146. Byarranging platform 135 so that it drops slightly below the upper surfaceof the conveyor chain, the case stop 95 may thereby be lowered to permitthe next case to proceed to station B.

It will be apparent that the above described method and apparatus forapplying the carriers permits great economies to be effected since it isunnecessary to remove the bottles from the case to apply the carriers.The particular apparatus above described and representing the preferredform of the invention should not be taken as restrictive of theinvention since it will be apparent that various modifications of adesign nature may be resorted to by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the following claims. For example, the particular methodby which the cases are fed to stations A and B may take some other formof conveyor such as, for example, a feed screw.

Although no specific step has been described for Separating carrierblanks 4 and 6 from carrier blanks 5, 7 (see FIG. 3), it will beunderstood that a very slight force is required to do this, either atthe plant or at the point of sale.

It will also be apparent that the particular manner in which the carrierengaging heads 35 and are actuated is not critical and it will beunderstood with respect to the application of one carrier blank to aplurality of bottles the specific method and apparatus disclosed may beemployed regardless of whether the bottles are within a case or arrangedin groups. In other words, the invention contemplates the use of twoheads for performing the steps of stations A and B on six bottles onlyfor example.

I claim:

1. The method of applying six pack carriers to the twenty-four filledand sealed bottles within a case comprising the steps of:

forming a sheet of semirigid sheet material to provide four integrallyconnected carrier blanks, disposing said sheet over said filled case,moving said blank downwardly to engage the sea-ls of said twenty-fourbottles and simultaneously separating said sheet into four carrierblanks, and thereafter securing of said four blanks to the seals of sixof said twenty-four bottles.

2. Apparatus for applying a bottle carrier blank to a plurality ofvertically disposed sealed bottles arranged in two parallel rowscomprising:

means for moving a horizontally disposed carrier blank downwardly pastthe seals of said bottles for engaging said blank with said seals, meansfor urging the marginal portions of said blank that are outwardly ofsaid rows upwardly and inwardly over said seals to a position overlyingsaid seals while the latter are so engaged by said blank, and

means for urging the free margins of said portions downwardly under saidseals while the remainders of said portions are so overlying said seals.

3. Apparatus for applying a bottle carrier blank to a plurality ofvertically disposed filled and capped bottles arranged in two parallelrows, said blank being generally rectangular and of the type providedwith two parallel rows of openings adapted to receive therethrough thecaps of said bottles, and said blank being provided with oppositemarginal portions adapted to be folded over said caps with the freemargins of said portions engaging under said seals, said apparatuscomprising:

means for moving a horizontally disposed carrier blank downwardly pastsaid caps whereby said caps are received through said openings,

means for urging said marginal portions of said blank that are outwardlyof said rows upwardly and inwardly over said caps to a positionoverlying said caps while the latter are received through said openings, and

means for urging the free margins of said portions downwardly under saidseals while the remainders of said portions are so overlying said caps.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said first mentioned meanscomprises a generally rectangular plate provided with recesses along theopposite edges thereof for receiving said caps therein.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said second mentioned meanscomprises a pair of vertically disposed folding elements, and powermeans for urging said folding elements toward each other for foldingsaid marginal portions over said caps.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said third mentioned meanscomprises a second generally rectangular plate adapted to engage saidfree margins and including recesses formed along said opposite edges forreceiving said caps therein,

7. Apparatus for applying carriers to a plurality of filled and cappedbottles arranged in parallel rows within a case, comprising:

a magazine for containing a stack of generally rectangular sheets ofsemirigid sheet material each formed to provide a plurality ofintegrally connected blanks adapted to be secured respectively to aplurality of groups of bottles in said case,

means for positioning a sheet from said stack over said case,

means for moving said sheet downwardly toward said bottles,

means for separating said sheet into a plurality of blanks during saidmovement, and

means for securing said blanks to the caps of said groups of bottles.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said separating meanscomprises a horizontal elongated element extending parallel to said rowsand against which said sheet is urged for so separating the same.

9. In an apparatus for applying carriers to twenty-four bottles arrangedin four parallel rows within a case, said carriers being of the typeformed from rectangular blanks of semirigid sheet material, each blankbeing provided with six openings for receiving the caps of six filledbottles therethrough,

means for positioning a sheet of semirigid material comprising fourintegrally connected blanks over a case filled with twenty-four filledand capped bottles,

means for moving said sheet downwardly toward said bottle and forsimultaneously separating said sheet into two pairs of integrallyconnected blanks extending parallel to said rows,

an elongated splitting element positioned between the central pair ofsaid four parallel rows for so separating said sheet during saidmovement,

and means for securing each pair of integrally connected blanks to agroup of twelve bottles.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which said moving means includes apair of generally planar heads each adapted to engage a pair ofintegrally connected blanks.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said securing means includesa pair of generally planar heads each adapted to urge the opposite freemargins of each pair of blanks under the associated caps of saidbottles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,183,781 5/1916Vanleir 53299 2,252,235 8/1941 Snelling 206-65 3,073,644 1/1963 Baker eta]. 206-65 3,085,682 4/1963 Paupitch 20665 FRANK E. BAILEY, PrimaryExaminer.

R. L. FARRIS, Assistant Examiner.

7. APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CARRIERS TO A PLURALITY OF FILLED AND CAPPEDBOTTLES ARRANGED IN PARRALLEL ROWS WITHIN A CASE, COMPRISING: A MAGAZINEFOR CONTAINING A STACK OF GENERALLY RECTANGULAR SHEETS OF SEMIRIGIDSHEET MATERIAL EACH FORMED TO PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF INTEGRALLYCONNECTED BLANKS ADAPTED TO BE SECURED RESPECTIVELY TO A PLURALITY OFGROUPS OF BOTTLES IN SAID CASE,